Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6.
Place the pork bones in a large roasting tray and season them well with salt and pepper. Roast for 40–45 minutes, turning once, until golden and caramelised.
Using tongs, transfer the roasted bones to a large stockpot.
Pour off any excess fat from the roasting tray, then place the tray over a low heat and add a glass of water to deglaze. Stir and scrape up the sticky, sweet caramelised bits from the bottom of the tray with a wooden spoon. Add this liquor to the stockpot, along with the vegetables, garlic, peppercorns, fennel seeds and herbs, then pour in enough fresh water to cover everything.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for at least 3 hours – and up to 5. Top up the water once or twice, if necessary. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, leave it to cool, then chill. You can freeze your stock in batches – that way you’ll always have some on hand.
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